Key



1937. L. E; DEUTSCH 2,090,114

KEY

Original Filed June 13, 1935 7 nun lea Z'ZDe/utsch/ I ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES i i'i" FiQiiZE Application June 13, 1935, Serial No. 26,485 Renewed January 18, 1937 Claims.

The invention relates to a lock key and more especially to improvements over the subject matter of United States Letters Patent, No. 2,019,400, dated October 29, 1935.

5 The primary object of the invention is the provision of a key of this character, wherein the bit mechanism is susceptible of adjustment on the separation of the head end of the key from its bit end so that this mechanism may be set to effect the locking and unlocking of a tumbler lock employing a key of this type, the head and bit ends of the key being adapted to confine therein a wrench or other like implement usable for adjustment of the bits of the key and freed 5 on the separation of the head and bit ends.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a key of this character, wherein the construction thereof constitutes generally improvements over the subject matter of said United States Letters Patent No. 2,019,400, dated October 29, 1935, and thus minimizing parts and altering the assemblage of the key so as to render it more simple in construction and for the use thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a key of this character, wherein practically unlimited variations or combinations can be had by a. changing of the tumbler bit mechanism and such changes or adjustments being had with dispatch and the means for permitting such adjustment being self-contained within the key.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a key of this character, which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and efiicient in its operation, readily and easily adjusted, light in weight yet strong, durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the inventicn consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a key constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Figure 3 is an end elevation looking toward the bit end of the key.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of the screw portions till of the bit Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an exploded fragmentary sectional view showing the separation of the head and bit ends of said key.

Similar reference characters indicate corre- 5 spending parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the key comprises separable sections A and B, respectively, one may be termed the head end and the 10 other the bit end. This section A is formed with a circular body portion iii having built therewith a wing it provided with an opening [2, the latter accommodating a key ring or other holder as is commonly employed for the carriage of 15 a key. This body portion i0 is externally threaded at l3 for the separable connection therewith of a coupling collar Hi rotatably fitted externally upon the bit section B which at its outer end is formed with a socket is opening through said 20 end for fitting therein of a bit guide it. The bit guide I 6 slidably accommodates concentri cally with respect to its longitudinal axis a series of bits ll, these being slidably fitted in ways 7 l8 provided in the section B and open into 25 threaded sockets l0 formed in said section B. The bits ii are provided with enlarged screw portions 20, these fitting the sockets l9 and in threaded engagement therewith so that said bits 5? can be adjusted in the ways it and in 30 their slidable mounting in the bit guide Hi.

The sockets IE5 at the coupling end of the section B with the section A are closed by a cover plate 26 in the form of a disk, it being detachably secured to the section B by fasteners 22, these being counterseated in said plate. Projected through this plate 2! and formed with i! are Wrench engaging stems 23, which are accommodated within a circular recess or space it as provided in the body id of the section A when the section Bis separably attached thereto. The wrench engaging stems 23 are formed with flat faced wrench engaging terminals 25 for a purpose presently described. 5

Provided at the central longitudinal axes of the sections A and B is a bore 26 for accommodating a wrench 21 it having a socketed end 28 for fitting with the terminals 25 of the stems 23 when the wrench 2'! is removed from the bore 26. The 50 wrench 2'! when not in use is accommodated within the bore 25 and when the sections A and B are separably joined with each other the said wrench 27 is concealed and is held Within the key for safe keeping. 55

slidably fitted in ways or passages 29 in the section B are coupling bolts 38, these being threaded into the inner end of the bit guide It so that the section B and the guide It are susceptible of movements relative to each other and are coupled one with the other.

Seated within the inner end of the bit guide it is a coiled tensioning spring 3|, it being also seated in the section B and surrounds the wrench 21 when in the bore 26 and the purpose of this spring is to maintain normally the bit guide it and the section B separated to the extent of the limiting movements thereof by the coupling bolts 39 therebetween. The section B is telescoped over the bit guide it and when the bits ll have been adjusted and the guide it inserted in a lock of the tumbler type as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,024,030, dated December 10, 1935, the bits ll will be disposed for action upon the tumblers of said lock for the unlocking thereof in the use of the key.

Fitted in the body ll) of the handle end A of the key are the plugs 32, these fitting companion openings 33 provided in the plate 2! on the bringing together of the sections A and B so that proper alignment of these sections may be had through the instrumentality of the plugs 32 and the openings respectively, therefor.

It is preferable to have the outer periphery of the plate 2! carry indicia 3% such as numerals for identifying the respective stems 23 so that proper adjustment of selected bits i! can be had when the sections A and B are separated from each other, the terminals 25 of these stems 23 being readily accessible on separation of the section A from the section B, this being apparent from Figure 5 of the drawing.

By working of the screw portions 20 of the bits I! inwardly or outwardly within the sockets to for said portions 20 the said bits can be adjusted for setting to a particular combination desired,

the adjustment of said bits I? being had on removal of the section A or separation thereof from the section B, this being accomplished by unscrewing the collar M from the body H] of said section A. The collar M is rotatably fitted with the section B preferably by the mounting of the plate 2| thereon.

What is claimed is:

1. A key of the kind described, comprising a bit part, a handle part separably fitted with the bit part, a plurality of bits adjustably fitted within the bit part, a socketed guide fitting the bit part and operated to expose the adjusted bits therefrom, the bit and handle parts being formed with confronting bores for accommodating a tool usable on separation thereof for adjusting said bits and a spring active upon said socketed guide and about the tool which latter forms a guide therefor.

2. A key of the kind described, comprising a bit part, a handle part separably fitted with the bit part, a plurality of bits adjustably fitted within the bit part, a socketed guide fitting the bit part and operated to expose the adjusted bits therefrom, the bit and handle parts being formed with confronting bores for accommodating a tool usable on separation thereof for adjusting said bits, a spring active upon said socketed guide and about the tool which latter forms a guide therefor, and means slidably coupling the bit part and guide together.

3. A key of the kind described, comprising a bit part, a handle part separably fitted with the bit part, a plurality of bits adjustably fitted within the bit part, a socketed guide fitting the bit part and operated to expose the adjusted bits therefrom, the bit and handle parts being formed with confronting bores for accommodating a tool usable on separation thereof for adjusting said hits, a spring active upon said socketed guide and about the tool which latter forms a guide therefor, means slidably coupling the bit part and guide together and means tensioning the guide for normally projecting the same relative to the bit part.

4. A key of the kind described, comprising a bit part, a handle part separably fitted with the bit part, a plurality of bits adjustably fitted within the bit part, a socketed guide fitting the bit part and operated to expose the adjusted bits therefrom, the bit and handle parts being formed with confronting bores for accommodating a tool usable on separation thereof for adjusting said bits, a spring active upon said socketed guide and about the tool which latter forms a guide therefor, means slidably coupling the bit part and guide together, means tensioning the guide for normally projecting the same relative to the bit part and threaded connections between the bits and said bit part.

5. A key of the kind described, comprising a bit part, a handle part separably fitted with the bit part, a plurality of bits adjustably fitted Within the bit part, a socketed guide fitting the bit part and operated to expose the adjusted bits therefrom, the bit and handle parts being formed with confronting bores for accommodating a tool usable on separation thereof for adjusting said bits, a spring active upon said socketed guide and about the tool which latter forms a guide therefor, means slidably coupling the bit part and guide together, means tensioning the guide for normally projecting the same relative to the bit part, threaded connections between the bits and said bit part and means fitting the handle part and engageable with the bit part for the matching of these parts on separably joining the same together.

LEO E. DEUTSCH. 

